When sangoma Gcinani Bango tested positive for COVID-19, he thought he was “counting his last days”. Now, after his discharge from hospital, Bango tells Siyabonga Kamnqa about his fears before contracting the disease and the hope he now has for educating people on preventing transmission of the virus.
South Africa moved to level three of its COVID-19 lockdown this week meaning, significantly relaxed lockdown regulations. In many townships in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, residents have mixed views on life under lockdown. Luvuyo Mehlwana visited some townships and spoke to residents.
By last week 1 010 public sector healthcare workers in the Western Cape had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Of these six had passed away of COVID-19. Anncha Kepkey, a nurse at Tygerberg Hospital, is among those who died. Biénne Huisman spoke to her husband about who Anncha was and what happened in the last days of her life.
The substantial relaxation of South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown measures from today was probably both inevitable and the right decision. But with ICU capacity in the Western Cape already stretched, and infections in the province rising rapidly, one or two measures may need to be reconsidered, argues Marcus Low.
On Sunday 24 May President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that from 1 June South Africa will move to level three of its national lockdown. Spotlight answers 14 questions relating to this new phase of the lockdown.
It seems HIV and TB are falling by the wayside in the drive to stop the spread of COVID-19. Where we can we must minimise the harm to the HIV and TB response, and we need to see the opportunity to address all three diseases together, writes Erica Penfold.
Health and safety officers play a critical role in keeping hospitals safe. Tiyese Jeranji spoke to Jan Engelbrecht, a health and safety officer at Groote Schuur Hospital where 69 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize needs to abandon the autocratic attitude for the greater good of the nation and realise that the likes of Professor Glenda Gray and her counterparts are critical in our response to COVID-19, writes Dr Shafrudeen Amod.
What the models predict about COVID-19. But beware – soothsaying has a checkered history.
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in KwaZulu-Natal increases, provincial health authorities, health practitioners and public health activists urge residents to avoid the spread of misinformation fuelling stigma around COVID-19. Nomfundo Xolo investigates.
This is the fourth issue of COVID-19 Report. We point you to the latest quality science on the pandemic. If you come across unfamiliar terms, there is a glossary at the bottom of the article.
By Tuesday 19 May the Free State has conducted 19 834 COVID-19 tests. The province recorded 165 confirmed cases, 118 recoveries and six deaths. Spotlight spoke to MEC for Health Montseng Tsiu and Head of the Free State Health Department Dr David Motau about the province’s COVID-19-response.
